Method for saturating fatty acids or their glycerids with hydrogen.



E. C. KAYSER.

METHOD FOR SATURATING FATTY ACIDS 0R THEIR GLYOERIDS WITH HYDROGEN.

APPLICATION PILED MAR.20,1008.

1 ,OO4;,O35, Patented Sept. 26, 1911.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

E. 0. KAYSBR.

METHOD FOR SATURATING FATTY ACIDS 0R THEIR GLYCERIDS WITH HYDROGEN.

APPLICATION FILED MAR, 20, 1008.

1,004,035. Pa ented Sept. 26, 1911.

2 BHEETSBHBET 2.

, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN CUNO KA YSER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE PROCTER 8c GAMBLE COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

METHOD FOR SATURATING FATTY ACIDS OR THEIR GLYCERIDS WITH HYDROGEN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 26, 1911.

sand State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods for Saturating Fatty Acids or Their Glycerids with Hydrogen, of Which the follow ing is a specification.

, Though it is known-in a general way that unsaturated fatty acids or their glycerids may be converted into the corresponding saturated compounds by treatment with gaseous hydrogen in presence of certain finely divided metals, acting. as catalyzers, the process cannot be commercially exploited without special methods.

The object of my invention isto provide such methods, and my invention consists in the methods hereinafter described and claimed.

The principal physical and mechanical considerations affecting the practical working of this process, are :to bring about and maintain, until the desired transformation be achieved,; extensive contact between a mixture of metal and oil and the hydrogen gas, and moreover to produce such friction and impingement, as will enable the gas to penetrate to the recipient metal in spite of the repellent coating of oil. These conditions are attained by propelling in form of filmsor spray a comparatively small, but ever changing part of the hot oil-mixture, within an atmosphere of hydrogen. While this general princi le should be embodied in all apparatus emp oyed to the present purpose, there is considerable latitude in constructive detail.

The preferred form of apparatus consists essentially of a closed horizontal cylindrical vessel, adapted to receive the hydrogen gasand to' contain a comparatively small column of the mixture of-oil and catalytic metal, in which cylinder is rotatably mounted a paddle wheel, or a plurality of such wheels, having blades of wire gauze or equivalent material.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a. vertical longitudinal section of one form of apparatus embodying my invention; Fig. 2 a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a vertical cross section of a modlfied form of paddle wheel; Fig. 5, a longitudinal section on the line 55 of Fi 4; Fig. 6 an end view of another modi ed form of paddle wheel; Fig. 7 a longitudinal section on the line 77 of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 an end view of another modified form of the paddle wheel; and Fig. 9 a vertical cross section on the line 99 of Fig. 8.

The reference character, A, represents the cyllnder, which is mounted upon suitable supports, B, and preferably has dished ends, a. a

C represents the inlet pipe and D the outlet pipe for' the gas,'the outlet pipe being sealed at (l by a column of oil.

E is the charge hole for the oil and metal, and F the discharge tap.

G and G are paddle wheels fixed to a shaft H, mounted in bearings 71. and entering the cylinder through stuffing boxes a. The paddle wheels are formed of end-plates g, fixed to a sleeve .9 keyedto the shaft, and

provided with openings 9 for admission of gas, and with an inner and outer series ofbolt holes for the reception of rods g and 9* extending longitudlnally of the wheel. The inner series of rods is preferably staggered to permit use of a greater number in a limited area, thereby reducing the lost space. These rods' serve as supports for an endless band g of wire gauze, which leads alternately over an inner and an outer rod, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have shown a modified fOI'IIli of the paddle wheel, in which a concentric series of wire gauze polygons are In. this form the paddle wheels are provided with a number of concentric series of longitudinal rods 9 and with endless bands g of wiregauze. Polygons may be somewhat deficient in agitating action, and I therefore provide a series of peripheral longitudinal scoops g carried by the end plates. In Figs. 6 and 7 I have shown another form of the paddle wheel, in which a series of erforated disks g" mounted upon the sha t, and connected at their outer peripheries by a series of longitudinal scoops take the place of the paddle blades shown in Figs. 1 to3. In Figs. 8 and 9 I have shown another form of paddle wheel, in which a series of concentric gauze cylinders, g, is mounted about the shaft and supported at regular distances by concentric perforate spacing rings,

substituted for the wire gauze paddle blades.-

9 connected by bolts 9. The outer rings carry longitudinal agitating scoops g -'In operation, the bottom of the containing cylinder is supplied with a limited quantity of the mixture of fatty matter and catalytic agent, destined to be engaged by the peripheries of the paddles, which latter, in their rotation, carry a series of films of such mixture through the hydrogen, and in intimate and sustained contact therewith. The paddle wheels are revolved at aspeed appropriate to the diameter of the machine, to the number of paddles, and, to their particular construction. The best speed must be ascertained empirically. "When the hydrogen is supplied under pressure,a lower speed, than would otherwise be required, will answer the purpose.

.When working under ordinary pressure,

, When pure hydrogen is used under artificial pressure, the gas out-let should be closed by a weighted valve, and the gas supply so regulated as to constantly maintain the desired pressure; but, if water-gas, or the like, isto be used under pressure, it will be necessary to periodically relieve the pressure by blowing off the inertgas accumulated within the apparatus.

v The temperature of the oil and metal mixture may vary within considerable limits, at temperature from 150 to 160 C. will, as a rule, be found suitable.

The time of treatment will Vary with the progress realized and with the degree of saturation aimed at.

I claim asmy invention:

1. The process of hydrogenizing fatty acids and their esters, which consists in bringing. films or spray of a mixture of the acid or ester and a pulverulent catalyzer into intimate contact with an atmosphere con taining hydrogen. Y

2. The process of hydrogenizing fatty acids and their esters, which consists in bringing'films or spray of a mixture of the acid or ester and a pulverulent catalyzer into intimate contact with a compressed atmosphere containing hydrogen.

3. The process of hydrogenizing fatty acids -and their esters, WhlCll consits in mechanically agitating a mixture of the fatty acid or ester and a pulverulent metallic catalyzer in the presence of hydrogen, wherebythe acid or ester and hydrogen are brought into intimate contact with active surfaces of said catalyzer.

A. The process of hydrogenizing fatty acidsand their esters, which consists in subjecting the fatty acid or ester, in a closed vessel, to the action of an atmosphere of compresed hydrogen and a metallic catalyzer, and repeatedly bringing different portions of the acid or esterinto contact with said atmosphere. 1

, 5. The process of hydrogenizing fatty acids and their esters, which consists in mechanically'agitating a mixture of the fatty acid or esterand a pulverulent metallic catalyzer in the presence of compressed hydrogen, whereby the acid or ester and hydrogen are brought into intimate contact with active surfaces of said catalyzer.

: EDWIN OUNO KAYSER. Witiiesses': W. W. SYMMEs, AGNES B. GRANT. 

